Skid inverter



Nov. 6, 1956 N. T. OHR

SKID INVERTER Filed Feb. 11, 1953 United States Patent SKID INVERTER Norman T. hr, Glen Rock, N. J., assignor to Rutherford grass, Inc., Rutherford, N. J., a corporation of New ersey Application February 11, 1953, Serial No. 336,328

2 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) The present invention relates .to a method and device for inverting stacks of paper mounted on skids; a skid with a stack of paper on it is commonly referred to as a skid of paper.

In the printing industry, sheets of paper are printed or lithographed on both sides. The sheets come off a printing press at a rapid rate printed on one side and are stacked on skids. In order to print the other side of these sheets, the stacks of paper should be inverted and fed through the same or another printing press.

A stack of paper may weigh several hundred pounds depending upon the size of the sheets and the height of the stack. With a heavy stack, it is not feasible to invert by hand in one operation. It is necessary that portions be removed and inverted successively to form a second stack. This is time-consuming; in addition, the different portions of the stack are not likely to be accurately aligned.

The present invention aims to provide a method and device for inverting a complete stack in a single operation regardless of its weight and to accomplish this with a simple mechanism and with a minimum of time and labor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved inverting device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved inverting device or attachment which is particularly adapted to use with a stack of sheets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved inverting device or attachment which is particularly adapted to-use with a stack of sheets of paper that are printed on one side and are to be printed on a reverse side.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved method of inverting sheets.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved method of inverting sheets of paper that are printed on one side and are to be printed on a reverse side.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been .chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a skid of paper resting on the floor or on any suitable surface, for example, at the delivery end of a printing press;

Fig. 2 is an end view partly in section of the skid of paper shown in Fig. l with the inverting device in position thereon before inversion;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view partly in section of the skid of paper with the inverting device in position thereon;

Patented Nov. 6, 1956 the inverting device removed and ready to be fed into a.

press.

Referring again to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and one way of performing the method, there is shown in Fig. 1 a stack of paper 10 mounted on a skid 12. In actual operation, the paper would be dropped sheet by sheet on the skid 12 at the delivery end of a printing press. The skid preferably comprises a flat upper platform 11 made of wood or other suitable material with a pair of runners 13 supporting it. In order to facilitate the inverting operation and particularly the raising of the stack and skid by a lift truck, there is provided a pair of cross members 17 placed under the runners 13.

In the customary operation of lifting a skid of paper by a lift truck, the platform of the lift truck usually passes between the runners 13. The inverting mechanism cannot readily be applied with the platform of the truck in this position. The additional cross members 17 permit a lift truck 19 to run its platform at right angles to and under runners 13 (Fig. 1). In this way, the stack of paper and the skid on which it rests may be raised oif the floor so that the inverting mechanism may be readily applied to the skid of paper. Instead of using members 17 to provide a space under runners 13 for the lift truck platform, slots may be cut in runners 13 to allow the platform to be slid underneath.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of hoop-like members 20 are provided for application to the skid of paper to permit the inverting operation. The hoop-like members 20 are shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. Preferably the two hoop members are alike and only one will be described. While the construction of these members may be varied, the preferred embodiment comprises a channel member 21 bent into a circle and properly welded or otherwise secured to maintain the circular construction. Within the circular channel member 21 suitable supports are provided for engaging and retaining the skid of paper on three sides. This may be achieved by utilizing three channel members indicated in Fig. 2 at 24, 25 and 26 which form substantially a square or rectangular space for receiving the skid of paper. The lower channelmember 24 may be welded at its ends to the circular member 21 and supported at its middle by three bracing members 30 which preferably have I-sections for strength and which may be suitably welded or rivetted in position as desired.

The supporting channel member 25 is welded or bolted at one end to the circular channel member and at the other end to the lower supporting channel member 24 and may be supported at its middle by three additional members 3t similarly to that of the member 24.

At the upper part of the circular channel member 21, a supporting channel member 26 extends parallel to the lower supporting channel member 24. The upper supporting channel member 26 is preferably bolted or welded to the circular channel member 21 and may be further supported by a pair of plates 31 and 32 welded to the sides of the channel member 21 and to the sides of the channel member 26.

The channel member 26 has provided at the bottom of the channel a pair of studs 27 which are threaded into suitable threaded apertures 33 in the bottom 28 of the channel 26 with lugs or hand wheels 29 formed thereon to turn the threaded studs 27 in order to vary the distances they protrude from the channel member to securely hold a skid of paper in position.

In the inverting operation, a skid in inverted position is v paper-moved through theihoopsrwitlirallifititrucka truckl then-7 lowers th'estack so that th'e :bottom zski'dirests upon the supporting channel 24 with one side of the stack V a i 2,769,557

truckil9. passes. itsplat-formbetween the. crosssmembersa 17 under the lower skid and raises the stack and skid 01f the supporting surface. While thus raised, the hoops areip'as sefliabout theu'skidez intoiproperip'osition orith'e hoop may be held in vertical position and ;thei'skid::of=f

Theglift adjacentito :the Vertical channel 255 The toperatori turns lugs .-29'i to*bring the: endsof vthe :studs-27 A firmly into engagement 'with the cross -members 17 of the: inverted skidion the top of th'e stack. The number and position offstuds 27 and the cross' memb'ers 17 may of course be changed-for difierent weights of 'pape'r 10. Thus, thestack 'ofipaper witlr skids on the topgand bottom is firmly held ibetwe'en the lower "supporting channel 'member 24 and u-pper channel member '26:

Sincethe hoops are restingon the-'-fioor or on any other suitable-support they may-berolled to invert the stack. When inverted as shown in'Fig. 4, the stack will be-supported-by tlie skid whichwas-formerly-on the top of 'the Stac-kandwhichnow rests-on-the studs 27. Pre-.

ferably; theihoops are-rolled in a-clockwise direction so that theedge of thes-tack will be supported atthe 90 point'by theside or vertical channel member 25. When the'inversion"is-complete the lift truckagain isllsedt0 raisethestack and 'the'hoops off the floor so that the hdops-may-be-reinoved fromthe' skid of paper. Prior tothe-"removing operation an operator-loosens the studs 27wthichpermits the removal ofthe hoops.

Whilethe preferred embodiment of-the inventioncontemplates-the useof a pair of hoops in the inverting operation, it should vbe understood that" a singlehoopmounted at thecenter of thestackcould be utilized: In

that case; the' operator'wouhl supportthe 'respective ends ofthe stack'during'the invertingoperation. While this wouldbe difiicul-t with a heavy stack, it would'be entirely feasible Withilighter stacks.

Inthedescription, the inverted skid on the top of the that the second skid-on the top ofthe stackmay beapplied afterthe'hoopsiare about the skidofpaper; "I'vhis'will allowigreater cl'earance'between the top'and bottom sup jacks could be used for thesame purpose.

-As a matter. of fact; the skidof'pap'er could'be'placed' 0n,-shifns to give it the proper height so'that' thehoops 4O stack is indicated in positionatthe-time' the hoops are placedontheskidofpaper; It 'should be understood" could be applied without the stack being raised ,by a

truck. lnrthevremovali of. the hoops,,.shimsv, or, other. supports could be placed under the lower skid and the studs 27 lowered or loosened ,to'p-ermit removal of the hoops. a V a It will be seen that the present invention provides'an' improved method and. device for inverting skids of paper or other stacks of sheet material. The mechanism is simple in construction"andireadilyt-made from structural steel .or aluminum, aluminum being preferred by reason. of" its" lighter iweight. The devicej'is nuggefiifconstruc i tion and fully capable of withstanding the rough. usage to which it may be subjected. The time and labor in- 'volvedl in inverting stacks off paper is minimized; and

As various changes maybe ma'de'fin the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; and withoutsacrificing any. of its sadvantagegit is} to: be understoodxthat" all .matter herein; is to be f'interp'retedil as;illustrativezs.andnot inialimiting senSeI Having thus described my invention, I .claimzi l; A- device. for; invertingisheets of material stacked on alskidzcomprising arigidhoop ofi'circular unobstructed outline; Lat? least two substantially perpendicular chord") sections-1; on; :said3hoop. adapted to :receive adjacent: sidesof asstackeofisheetgt anotherichordi sectioni opposite one of said perpendicular;chordlsections said last-mentioned 'chcrdtsection ahavingsclarnping" screws: extending :therefr'onrsto.:clamp said stack:ofjfsheet material in said chord sections,f..whereby said. hoop may invert: said stack: of sheets 'twhil'eimaintainin'g alignmentithereof:

Z-NAL device for inverting. sheets of 1 material "stacked one.skidcofnprisingairigid hoopof circular unob strueted ii outline; saidi.h'oop having aireceiving chamber therein-g I comprised of an open side to accommodate sheets; oE- greater width andIIhavingLa topifchord section, a; bottom chordt sectiom parallelito said top chordsection; anda side chordisectionperpendicular to and connected to said 120p?HHHlEbOItOmZ CHOId sections; said top chiord section' having adjustable clamping means therein adapted to clamp E'sai'di stack: of sheet materialagainst the bottom chord section, whereby saidih'oop may-invertsai'd stack I while maintainingit in position.

Referencesrcited inithefile of fthis patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS' 2,006,451 Glidden July-,2;,1935- 2;443202: Smith ..Tune 15,- 1948, 2,314,680 1 S tafio rd .July'l1, 1950 2,526,252: Mutchler. Aug..29, 1950 2,523,380 schoenfielder .Sept. 26,;l950- FOREIGN PATENTS V V 204,202: Germany Nov. 13; 1908i 

